A GRIEVING son caught drug-driving on the M6 hadn’t “deliberately” or “knowingly” taken any illegal substance - a court was told.

Edward Holmes’ crime, committed as he headed northbound near Penrith, came amid a background of family tragedies.

Two police constables on patrol in a marked vehicle were passed information about a grey Volkswagen Caddy at around 11.50am on Wednesday, December 22.

“It had been seen driving erratically on the M6 between Lancashire and Cumbria,” prosecutor George Shelley told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court.

“The officers located the vehicle approaching Junction 40. They observed it weaving in its lane and described it as clipping the white lines either side.”

They stopped the vehicle and the driver identified himself as 53-year-old Holmes, whose drug wipe test provided positive for cocaine. An evidential blood sample showed he was over the legal limit for a metabolite of the illegal class A drug.

A man of previous good character, Holmes, of Garfield Terrace, Chorley, admitted a drug-driving charge.

Giving mitigation, solicitor Duncan Campbell said of the defendant: “He has had tremendous difficulties to deal with in recent times. He has lost his son and his wife — his son to suicide. There has been some drug difficulty in the family.

“He is totally opposed to the use of any drugs because he has had personal tragedy as a result of the use of them.”

“To add to them,” added Mr Campbell of the difficulties, “he then lost his mother just before this incident. On the Sunday there had been a celebration of her life with a party.

“During the party he consumed some alcohol and he would say that he wasn’t in the best frame of mind at the time, and drank a little bit too much.

“He was aware there were others using other substances at the party. He is absolutely adamant that he didn’t deliberately or knowingly take any of these other substances.”

Mr Campbell had advised Holmes of “special reasons” arguments he could put before the court had he thought his drink had been spiked, or similar.

But of Holmes’ response, the solicitor said: “He says ‘I was above the limit as I was driving and I shouldn’t have been’.”

Holmes — out of work and receiving Universal Credit — was fined £120 by magistrates.

He must also serve a 12-month driving ban.